> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wissly.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding Indexing

> Learn what indexing is and how it works

When you connect a folder, Wissly automatically indexes the documents inside it. Let's look at this process in more detail.

## What Is Indexing?

Indexing is the process of reading document contents and organizing them into a quickly searchable form — similar to how an index is built at the back of a book.

### Wissly's Indexing Process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Text Extraction">
    Opens document files and extracts text.
  </Step>

  <Step title="OCR Processing">
    For scanned documents or images, recognizes text using OCR.
  </Step>

  <Step title="AI Transformation">
    Transforms extracted text into a format the AI can understand.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Index Storage">
    Stores the transformed data securely on the server.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Sync and Automatic Updates

Indexing doesn't happen just once. Wissly continuously monitors connected folders.

| Change Type   | Wissly Action                           |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| File Added    | Automatically indexes new documents     |
| File Modified | Updates the index for changed documents |
| File Deleted  | Removes from the index                  |

<Info>
  This process happens automatically in the background, so there's no need to manually click "refresh."
</Info>

## Checking Indexing Status

You can check the indexing status of each folder in the Folder Management screen.

| Status   | Meaning                                         |
| -------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Indexing | Currently reading and organizing documents      |
| Complete | All documents have been indexed                 |
| Syncing  | Updating changed files                          |
| Error    | Some files couldn't be read (click for details) |

## Files That May Not Be Indexed

The following files may not be indexed:

<Warning>
  **Files That Cannot Be Indexed**

  * Password-protected documents
  * Corrupted files
  * Unsupported file formats
  * Files without read permissions
</Warning>

<Card title="Natural Language Search" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/en/search/natural-language">
  Now learn how to search your indexed documents.
</Card>